Russia eBook

been formed, and their united capital amounted only
to thirty-two millions of roubles. Thus in the
space of two years (1857-58) eleven times as much
capital was subscribed to joint-stock companies as
had been subscribed during half a century previous
to the war. The most exaggerated expectations
were entertained as to the national and private advantages
which must necessarily result from these undertakings,
and it became a patriotic duty to subscribe liberally.
The periodical literature depicted in glowing terms
the marvellous results that had been obtained in other
countries by the principle of co-operation, and sanguine
readers believed that they had discovered a patriotic
way of speedily becoming rich.

These were, however, mere secondary matters, and the
public were anxiously waiting for the Government to
begin the grand reforming campaign. When the
educated classes awoke to the necessity of great reforms,
there was no clear conception as to how the great work
should be undertaken. There was so much to be
done that it was no easy matter to decide what should
be done first. Administrative, judicial, social,
economical, financial, and political reforms seemed
all equally pressing. Gradually, however, it
became evident that precedence must be given to the
question of serfage. It was absurd to speak about
progress, humanitarianism, education, self-government,
equality in the eye of the law, and similar matters,
so long as one half of the population was excluded
from the enjoyment of ordinary civil rights. So
long as serfage existed it was mere mockery to talk
about re-organising Russia according to the latest
results of political and social science. How could
a system of even-handed justice be introduced when
twenty millions of the peasantry were subject to the
arbitrary will of the landed proprietors? How
could agricultural or industrial progress be made without
free labour? How could the Government take active
measures for the spread of national education when
it had no direct control over one-half of the peasantry?
Above all, how could it be hoped that a great moral
regeneration could take place, so long as the nation
voluntarily retained the stigma of serfage and slavery?

All this was very generally felt by the educated classes,
but no one ventured to raise the question until it
should be known what were the views of the Emperor
on the subject. How the question was gradually
raised, how it was treated by the nobles, and how it
was ultimately solved by the famous law of February
19th (March 3d), 1861,* I now propose to relate.

* February 19th according
to the old style, which is still
used in Russia, and
March 3d according to our method of
reckoning.